The Health Bureau (SSM) said in a statement this week that it has banned a slimming pill from “Blackruby_shop”, which contains sibutramine.
According to the statement, Hong Kong’s Department of Health announced that the pill was never approved for importation into Hong Kong or Macau.
The statement noted that sibutramine supresses one’s appetite, adding that the substance would increase one’s risk of getting cardiovascular disease. The statement said that the bureau has already banned a number of medications containing sibutramine.
According to the www.treated.com website, sibutramine was a widely used weight loss treatment before being withdrawn in the UK in 2010 due to safety concerns that it could potentially increase the risk of strokes or heart attacks.
Its use has also been suspended in mainland China, the EU and the US.
The statement said that to protect the public’s safety, the bureau would continue to pay close attention to the sale of the “Blackruby_shop” pills in Macau. The bureau urged residents not to purchase and immediately stop using the product if they have already purchased it and immediately take whatever is left to the bureau’s Pharmaceutical Affairs Department on the 2nd floor of China Plaza. For more information, call 8598 3453 during office hours.
This undated handout photo provided by the Health Bureau (SSM) this week shows two slimming pills from “Blackruby_shop” containing sibutramine.
